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1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

6 

6 

'  «>i*<i 


'll^.i 


1      'i 


FATHER  ABBEY'S  WILL; 


11     ^ 


'   \ 


il 


a 


\i 


'W 


I 


TO    WHICH    18    ADDED 


A  LETTER    OF    COURTSHIP 


TO  HIS  VIRTUOUS  AND  AMIABLE  WIDOW. 


WITH 


HISTORICAL    AND    BIOGRAPHICAL 


NOTES. 


PRIVATELY       PRINTED. 


CAMBRIDGE. 
1854. 


V 


,57,t5  2.T 

£l  Fs. 


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-i«8P!«, 


PBEFACE. 

The  following  notices  of  the  ancient  Bedmaker  and  Sweeper 
at  the  College,  and  of  his  no  less  ancient  Spouse,  were  prepared 
for  and  published  in  the  Cambridge  Chronicle,  November  18.  1854. 
At  the  request  of  a  few  friends  and  antiquarians  fifiV  ^^P^^^  ^'^^ 
printed  in  this  form  for  private  distribution. 

John  Langdon  Sibley. 

Harvard  College  Library, 
Cambridge,  November,  1854. 


..^^ 


"FATHER  ABBEY'S  WILL; 

"  To  which  is  now  added,  a  letter  of  Courtship  to  his  virtuous  and  amiable  Widow. 

Cambridge,  December,  1730. 

"  Some  time  since  died  here,  Mr.  Matthew  Abbey  in  a  very  advanced  age :  He 
had  for  a  great  number  of  years  served  the  College  in  quality  of  Bedmakcr 
and  Sweeper:  Having  no  child,  his  wife  inherits  his  whole  estate  which  hs 
bequeathed  to  her  by  his  last  will  and  testament,  aa  follows,  viz. 

• 

<<  rilO  my  dear  wife 

JL    My  joy  and  life, 
I  freely  now  do  give  her, 
Mv  whole  estate, 
With  all  my  plate, 
Being  just  about  to  leave  her. 

/  My  tub  of  soap. 

Along  cart  rope, 
A  frying  pan  and  kettle, 

An  ashes  pail, 

A  threshing  flail, 
An  iron  wedge  and  beetle. 

Two  painted  chairs. 

Nine  warden  pears, 
A  large  old  dripping  platter, 

This  bed  of  hay 

On  which  I  lay, 
An  old  saucepan  for  butter. 

A  little  mug, 

A  two  quart  jug, 
A  bottle  full  of  brandy, 

A  looking  glass 

To  see  vour  face. 
You'll  find  It  very  handy. 

A  inusket  true, 

As  ever  flew, 
A  pound  of  shot  and  wallet, 

A  leather  sash. 

My  calabash, 
My  powder-horn  and  bullet. 


./; 


h\ 


c 


An  old  sword  b'.ndc, 

A  giinleii  spado, 
A  lioo,  a  rnko,  iv  liidder, 

A  wooden  cnn, 

A  cIosc-Htool  nan, 
A  clyster-pipo  and  bladder. 

A  Rrensy  hnt, 

My  old  ram  cat, 
A  yard  and  half  of  linen, 

A  woollen  fleece, 

A  pot  of  grease, 
In  order  for  your  spinning. 

A  small  tooth  comb, 

An  ashen  broom, 
A  candlestick  and  hatchet, 

A  coverlid 

Strip'd  down  with  red, 
A  bag  of  rags  to  patch  it. 

A  ragged  mat, 

A  tub  of  flit, 
A  book  put  out  by  Banyan, 

Another  book 

By  Robin  Cook, 
A  skein  or  two  of  spunyam. 

An  old  black  jiuift", 

Some  garden  stuff, 
A  quantity  of  borage, 

Some  devil's  weed. 

And  burdoclc  seed, 
To  season  well  your  porridge. 

A  cliafing  dish, 

With  one  salt  fish 
If  I  am  not  mistaken, 

A  leg  of  pork, 

A  broken  fork, 
And  h;Of  a  flitch  of  bacon. 

A  spinning  wheel. 

One  peck  of  meal, 
A  knife  without  a  handle, 

A  rusty  lamp, 

Two  quarts  of  samp, 
And  half  a  tallow  candle. 

My  poucii  and  pipes, 

Two  oxen  tripes. 
An  oaken  dish  well  carved, 

My  little  dog, 

And  spotteahog. 
With  two  young  pigs  just  starved. 

This  is  my  store, 

1  have  no  more, 
I  heartily  do  give  it. 

My  years  are  spun, 

My  days  are  done. 
And  so  I  think  to  leave  it. 

Thn.s  father  Abbey  left  his  sponse. 
As  rich  as  church  or  college  mouse, 
Which  is  sufficient  invitation 
To  servo  the  college  in  his  station." 


ATJTHOnsnip  or  fatiieh  abbey's  will. 

Tho  Massachusetts  MaRazino  for  1794,  vol.  6,  pnp;o  090,  ascribes  to  John  Sec- 
comb  the  authorsliip  of  "  Fatlicr  Abbey's  Will."(  1 )  This  statement  wos  called  in 
question  in  tho  succceiling  volume,  page  32,  and  tlic  authorsliip  attributed  to 
the  Rev.  Joseph  Scceomb,  of  Kingston,  N.  H.  The  editor,  the  Hev.  Timddeus 
Mason  Harris,  D.  D.,  of  Dorcliester,  on  p»go  301,  settles  tho  question,  in  thcso 
words  : — 

"  From  Thaddeus  Moson,  Esq.,  of  Cambridge,  tho  only  surviving  classmate  and 
very  intimate  friend  of  the  Rev.  Jolm  Scccorabc,  the  public  may  be  assured 
that  he,  the  long  reputed,  was  tho  real  author.  His  brother  Joseph,  though  a 
lively  genius,  never  pretended  to  write  poetry;  but  Mr.  Mason  was  furnished 
with  several  poetical  effusions  of  his  classmate's.  They  commenced  an  early  cor- 
respondence. And  through  this  channel  flowed  many  a  tuneful  ditty.  One  of 
these  letters,  dated  "Cambridge,  Sept.  27,  1728,"  the  editor  has  before  him.  It 
is  a  most  humorous  narrative  of  tho  fate  of  a  goose  roasted  nt  "  Yankcy  Has- 
tings's "  and  it  concludes  with  a  poem  on  the  occasion,  in  the  mock  heroic.  *  *  * 
Mr.  Mason(2)  wonders  there  have  been  any  doubts  respecting  the  rviil  author 
of  this  witty  production.  He  is  able  and  ready,  were  it  necessary,  to  give  moro 
circumstantial,  explicit,  and  positive  evidence  thon  the  present  writing." 

Wc  know  not  what  has  become  of  the  letter  or  of  tho  "  mock  heroic,"  and  "  o 
cannot  speak  with  certainty  of  the  circumstances  to  which  they  owed  tiicir  origin. 
But  the  following  facts  may  shed  some  light  thereon.  Tho  author  resided  in 
Cambridge  after  ho  graduated.  In  common  with  all  who  had  received  the  degree 
of  Bachelor  of  Arts  and  not  that  of  Master  of  Arts,  ho  was  called  "  Sir,"  and 
known  as  "Sir  Seccomb."  In  tho  autumn  after  his  graduation  several  geeso 
disappeared  at  different  times  from  Cambridge  Common.  Tho  loss  occasioned 
great  discomfort  to  tho  owner.  Some  of  tho  "  Sirs  "  as  well  as  undergraduates 
were  arraigned  before  the  college  government.  At  length  several  of  them  were 
fined  seven  shillings  apiece  for  being  privy  to  and  taking  the  "  third "  gooso, 
and  one  of  them  was  fined  three  shillings  moro  for  "  lying "  about  it.  On  tho 
morning  of  Nov.  28,  1728,  the  sentence  was  announced.  This  was  done  in 
the  college  hall,  after  the  reading  and  before  the  prayer,  and  a  suitable  amount 
of  admonition  was  given  against  the  immoralities  condemned.  The  rogues  were 
required  to  indemnify  the  owner,  and  the  one  who  first  proposed  to  steal  the 
first  gooso  and  for  being  concerned  in  stealing  and  eating  the  "  three  geese  taken  ou 

(1)  Abbey  is  a  misnomer  for  Abdy. 

(2)  Thaddeus  Mason,  Esq.,  was  born  at  Lexington,  27  Dec,  1706,  0.  S.,  and 
graduated  in  1728.  He  taught  school  in  Woodstock,  Conn.,  in  1729,  soon  after  which 
ho  became  private  Secretary  of  Gov.  Belcher,  by  whom  he  was  appointed  Deputy 
Naval  Officer  of  tlie  port  of  Boston,  in  1731.  In  1734  he  was  appointed  Deputy  Secreta- 
ry of  the  I'rovince.  He  settled  at  Charlestown,  and  was  appointed  Clerk  of  the  Court  of 
SoKfions  anil  of  llio  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  for  Middlesex,  in  March,  1735-6,  which 
oftict"  he  held  for  rt  years.  He  was  olso,  for  several  vcars.  Registrar  of  Deeds  for 
the  same  county.  Not  long  after  the  battle  of  Bunker's  kill,  at  which  time  his  mai. 
Bion  was  burnt,  ho  settled  in  Cambridge,  where  I'e  died,  May  1, 1802,  aged  95  years 
and  4  months.  He  was  married  three  times.  On  three  successive  Triennial  Catalogues 
he  was  the  oldest  living  graduate,  and  no  person  who  graduated  as  early  as  he  did, 
lived  into  the  nineteenth  centurj'. 


y 


(I 


tho  Common"  wns  sent  from  college.  How  much  this  had  to  <1o  with  tho 
inspiration  of  tho  letter  and  tho  "  mock  heroic"  is  not  known;  but  tho  writor 
was  a  "Sir,"  nnd  without  douht  wus  well  acquainted  with  '.he  facts  in  tho  case. 
Jonathan  IIastinf;s,  Steward  of  tho  college  from  17130  to  1771),  was  an  under- 
graduate  at  tho  time,  nnd  he  was  a  son  of  Jonatlian  Hastings,  a  tanner,  who  was 
called  "  Yankee  Hastings,"  and  lived  on  tho  spot  at  tho  north-west  corner  of 
Holmes  Place,  In  Old  Cambridge,  where,  not  many  years  since,  a  house  was  built 
by  the  late  William  romeroy.  This  "  mock  heroic"  is  the  earliest  and  only  poet- 
ical composition  of  Mr.  Scccomb,  besides  the  Will  of  Father  Abbey,  of  which  we 
find  particular  mention.  With  his  wit  and  apparent  genius  for  rhyming,  it  is 
almost  certain  that  ho  must  have '' thrown  off "  other  verses,  though  they  may 
not  havo  como  down  to  us. 

POPULARITY  OP  FATHER  ABUEY'S  WILL. 

"  Through  tho  hands  of  Gov.  Belcher,  whoso  secretary  Mr.  Mason  then  was, 
Father  Abbey's  Will  was  sent  to  England,  where  it  was  much  admired,  and 
published."  In  May,  1732,  it  appeared,  both  in  tho  Gentleman's  Magazine  and 
the  London  Magazine.  It  was  rc])rintcd  in  the  Massachusetts  Magazine,  in 
November,  1794.  There  havo  been  several  imitations  of  it.  Till  tho  present 
generation,  portions  of  it  have  been  familiar  to  nearly  all  the  good  housewives  of 
New  England,  and  wo  "  old  folks  "  remember  the  interest  with  which  we  listened 
to  our  mothers'  recital  of  tho  witty  rhymes. 

WOTI  OF     THE     AUTHOR,    THE     REV.    JOHN    SECCOMD. 

Peter  Seccomb,  of  Medford.(l)  Massachusetts,  by  Hannah  Willis,  to  whom  he 
was  married  25  February,  1702-3,  had  Willis,  born  30  April,  1704,  who  died  15 
April,  17-25;  John,  born  3  July,  1705,  died  27  May,  1707;  John,  probably  the 
one  who  wrote  "Father  Abbey's  Will,"  born  25  or  28  April,  1708;  Charles, 
born  15  January,  1709-10,  died  28  September,  1730;  Thomas,  born  16  August, 
1711,  died  about  eleven  o'clock  at  night.  Fast  day,  15  April,  1773.  Thomas 
made  memoranda  of  the  names  of  all  the  clergymen  who  preached  in  Mcdford, 
together  with  the  texts,  the  dates,  notices  r,f  funeral  sermons,  &c.,  which  are  still 
preserved. 

John  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  1728.  Ho  subsequently  studied  divinity 
and  was  ordained  a  CongregiUional  minister  in  tho  town  of  Harvard,  Massachu- 
setts, 10  Oct.  1733,  the  day  on  whicii  the  first  church  in  that  town  was  organized. 
He  was  married,  10  March  1736-7,  to  Mercy,  born  16  April,  1719,  daughter  of 
the  Rev.  William  Williams,  of  Weston,  who  was  son  of  the  Ilcv.  William  Wil- 
liams, of  Hatfield,  a  son  of  Deacon  Isaac  Williams,  of  Newton.  Mrs.  Seccomb's 
mother  was  grand-daughter  of  the  liev.  Solomon  Stoddard,  of  Northampton. 

Respecting  Mr.  Seccomb's  life  at  Harvard,  a  correspondent  writes  : — "  In  the 
Church  Records  I  find  his  name  affixed  to  certain  records  of  Church  action, 
which  he  made  in  the  discharge  of  his  official  duty.  Of  the  causes  of  the  dissolu- 
tion of  his  connection  with  the  Parish  ho  is  entirely  silent — recording  only  that, 
by  his  own  request,  ho  was  dismissed  by  an  Ecclesiastical  Council,  and  tigning 

(1)  Medford  Town  Records;  Family  Bible. 


d 


his  riftmo'John  Scccomb,"  Sept.  7,  1757.'  Vnguo  nnd  intlutinct  trmlilioiis  say 
tliat  ho  wns  impollcd  to  Icavo  his  parish,  in  consequence  of  a  malicious  charge  of 
his  wifu  (ii  second  Xanthippe)  of"  improper  familiarity  with  a  domestic. 

"In  about  six  years"  after  his  resignation, "  ho  was  installed  over  a  Dis- 
senting Church  in  Cliestcr,  Nova  Scotia,  where  ho  passed  tho  remainder  of  his 
days  ;  retaining  in  a  remarkable  degree,  his  mental  powers,  popularity,  nnd  useful- 
ness; and  continued  to  preach  to  his  peoplp  to  good  acceptance,  when  ho  re- 
quired tlip  aid  of  others  in  walking  to  visit  the  sanctuarj  of  God.  He  lived  about 
sixty-five  years  after  ho  was  graduated  ;  filled  up  life  with  duty  nnd  usefulness  j 
Calvinistie  in  his  sentiments,  pungent  in  his  preaching ;  his  ministrations  were 
blessed  to  tho  people  in  Harvard.  A  revival  continued  three  years,  and  resulted 
in  bringing  about  ono  hundred  into  tho  lledccmer's  Kingdom."(l)  He  died  at 
Cliester,  Nova  Scotia,  in  the  latter  part  o(  tho  year  1792.(2)  Mercy  Seccombc, 
who  always  added  c  to  her  name,  though  it  was  omitted  by  her  husband,  was  Ex- 
ecutrix of  John  Seccomb's  Will,  9  August,  17t)3. 

FATHER    AllDY    AND    III8    ANCESTRY. 

The  father  of  "  Father  "  Abdy,  probably  from  tho  parish  of  Stepney,  was  Mat- 
thew Abdy,  15  years  old  when  he  embarked  for  New  England,  July  1,  16.35, 
"  Abord  the  Abigail,  Robert  Ilackwell,  master."  He  was  a  fisiierman  and  lived  at 
Pulling  Point  or  on  ono  of  the  islands  in  Boston  harbor.  Porliaps  ho  lived  at 
both  places,  as  fishermen  in  those  days  changed  their  residences  frcf|ucntly.  In 
1057,  ho  and  other  fishermen  petitioned  tho  legislature  of  Massachusetts  to  ex- 
empt them  from  military  training  during  the  fishing  season.  He  is  probably  tlio 
same  who  was  living,  at  the  age  of  40  in  1669,  it  being  easy,  in  transcribing,  to 
make  tho  mistake  of  writing  40  for  49  or  1069  for  lOOO,  by  adding  a  tail  to  tho 
cipher  or  omitting  it  in  tho  9.  Ho  was  married  in  Boston,  24  May,  1662,  to  Alieo 
Cox,  jjcrhaps  daughter  of  Moses  Cox,  of  Hampton,  N.  H. 

By  his  wife  Tabitha,  who  died  in  1661  and  who  was  daughter  of  Robert 
Reynolds,  a  shoe-maker,  who  lived  in  Boston,  Mr.  Abdy  had  Mary,  born  24  May, 
1648,  and  Tabithn,  born  24  Nov.  1052,  besides  Matthew,  named  in  his  grandfather 
Reynolds's  Will.  This  son  Matthew,  probably  born  about  1650,  in  or  about  Bos- 
ton harbor,  must  have  been  the  Father  Abdy  under  consideration.  Probably  top 
ho  is  the  Matthew  Abdy  who  was  married  in  Cambridge,  10  April,  1688,  to  Deborah 


(1)  Rev.  Thomas  Noj'es,  of  Needhnm,  in  tho  American  Quarterly  Register,  10;  58. 

(2)  Mr.  Scccomb  publislied  "  A  sermon  prenclied  at  Halifax,  July  3,  1770,  nt  tho 
Ordination  of  the  Rev.  Hruin  Romcns  Comingoe.  Totlic  Uutcli  Calviinistic  rresbyterinn 
Congregation  at  Lunenburg. . . .  IJoiiig  tiic  first  preached  in  tiie  Province  of  Nova-Scotia, 
on  such  an  occasion.  To  wiiicli  is  added  an  Ai)|)endix"  containing  the  reasons  of  the 
Ordination;  witli  the  questions  pnblicklj' propounded  on  tliat  occasion.  Tlic  scnnon 
is  dedicated  "  To  Mabiciiy  Suiter,  Ksq.,"  because  of  his  "  prudent  and  vigorous  n  eas- 
ures"  "  to  obtain  and  establish  a  fund  for  tlio  support  of  sucli  Dissenting  llinisters  in 
the  Province  as  needed  assistance."  It  contiiins  "  grateful  acknowledgements  to  those 
charitable  persons  in  Hoston,  whose  late  bounty  afforded  us  a  very  seasonable  relief." 
8vo.  "  llnVifax,  printed  by  A.  Henry,  1770."'  In  1772  was  printed  at  Boston,  New 
England,  by  Thomas  and  John  Fleet,  "  A  Sermon  occasioned  by  tho  death  of  the 
Honorable  AniGAii.  Bklciieh,  late  Consort  of  .Tonatiian  Beixhuu,  Esq. ;  late  Lieu- 
tenant Governor  and  Coniniander-in-Cbief,  and  His  Majesty's  present  Chief  Justice  of 
His  Province  of  Nova  Scotia,  Delivered  at  Halifax,  in  'the'said  Province,  October  20, 
J771.  By  John  Seccomue,  of  Chester,  A.  JL  With  an  Kpistle,  by  Mather  Byles,  D.  D. 
pf  Boston."    Both  these  sermons  are  in  the  library  of  Harvard  University. 


10 


Wilson,  dauplitcr  of  Andrew  Stevenson,  of  Cambridge,  and  widow  of  Roi^ort 
Wilson,  of  Sudbury.  And  this  wus  perhaps  his  second  marriage,  at  least ;  for  he 
was  then  about  38  years  old,  and  it  seems  to  have  been  a  Puritanic  doctrine, 
which  was  clung  to  with  more  than  wontc  I  Puritanic  pertinacity,  that  every  man 
should  bo  married  \ory  early  in  life,  li  this  bo  so,  he  must  have  been  rather 
popular  with  the  gentler  sex,  for  he  and  his  wife  Kuth,  who  in  this  case  would 
have  been  at  least  bis  third  wife,  were  Ijaptized  and  admitted  to  the  church  in 
Cambridge  by  the  llev.  Dr.  Appleton,  25  February,  1727-8. 

FATIIEK    ABDT    API'OINTED    TO    OFFICE. 

In  President  Leverctt's  Diary,  Mr.  Abdy's  appointment  to  the  honorable  oflSco 
he  held  in  the  college  is  recorded  in  these  words : — 

"  Harvard  College,  Feb.  19,  1717-18. 
"  ^Matthew  Abdy  appointed  Sweeper  and  Bed-maker  upon  probation,  And  As- 
sign'd  to  him  Stoughton-IIousc,  excepting  Mr.  Scver's  Chamber  and  the  rooms 
above  and  below  the  sd.  Mr.  Sever's(l)  Chamber,  and  the  whole  of  the  Presidts. 
House.  Harvard  College  and  the  aforesaid  rescrv'd  rooms  in  Stoughton-House 
continued  to  Mary  Prcntise,  And  the  Establishm't  for  the  Bed-maker  is  to  be  paid 
to  them  according  to  sd.  licservation." 

Tutor  Flynt,  in  his  private  Diary  and  Account  Book,  writes : — 

"April  16,1723.  Paid  Matthew  Abdy  5sh  for  Quincy's  two  quarter  bills  for 
sweeping." 

"  May  25,  Paid  Abdy  .3sh  for  washing  a  groce  of  Bottles." 
"Aug.  25,  Paid  for  Quincy  to  Abdy  9d.'"{2) 

(1)  Rev.  Nicholas  Sever,  born  at  Roxbury  in  1680,  n  gi-iiduato  in  1701,  was  a 
member  of  the  Corporation  of  the  College  and  was  Tutor  from  1710  to  1728.  Previously 
to  this  he  liiul  been  settled  in  the  ministry  at  Dover,  N.  II.,  where  he  was  ordained 
11  April,  1711.  He  wps  nl'tcrwiirils  Juilpe  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  in  IMy- 
mouth  County  and  died  7  April,  1704.  While  he  was  Tutor  he  was  prosecuted  at  com- 
mon law  by  Kbenezer  I'ieroont,  a  graduate  in  1715,  wlio  was  refused  liis  degree  of 
Jlaster  of  Arts,  on  the  ground  of  allegations  brougiit  against  him  by  Mi*.  Sever  "  of  con- 
temning, reproaching,  and  insulting  the  government  of  the  College  and  particularly 
the  Tutors  for  their  maniigcment  in  admission  of  scholars.''  Leverett  and  Flynt  ex- 
pressly say  that  the  proceedings  which  grew  out  of  the  withholding  of  the  degree 
"  threatened  the  dissolution  of  the  College." 

(2)  JosiAii  Quincy  was  grandfather  of  Ex-President  Qnincy  and  a  relative  of  Tutor 
Flynt,  who  seems  to  have  been  his  (Juardian  or  Patron  while  lie  was  in  College.  From 
the  Memoir  of  Josiah  (Quincy,. fun.,  wo  learn  that  he  was  the  youngest  son  of  Edmund 
Quincy,  and  born  in  liraintree  in  1709.  Ho  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  iu 
172»,  and  entered  info  business  as  a  merchant  in  iioston.  In  1737,  he  accompanied 
his  father  to  England,  passed  several  years  in  Europe  at  different  periods  of  his  life, 
and  finally  returned  to  America  in  1749.  He  was  appointed  in  175"),  by  Governor 
Shirley,  joint  commissioner  with  Tlioinas  Pownall,  to  negotiate  with  the  Colonies  of 
Pennsylvania  and  Xew  York,  for  assistance  in  erecting  a  frontier  barrier  against  tho 
French  at  Tieonderoga.  In  this  mission  he  availed  himself  of  tho  iiilhieiice  of  Dr. 
Franklin  and  was  successful.  The  i)articular  circumstances  of  this  negotiation  are 
related  in  the  Memoirs  of  that  great  man,  written  by  himself.  .losiah  Quincv  retired 
in  1750  from  business,  and  rcsi<led  in  Braintree  until  his  death  in  17fr4.  llis  latter 
daj's  were  saddened  by  tho  loss  of  his  son  .fosiah  (Juincy,  Jun.,  whose  life  is  intimately 
connected  with  the  early  history  of  the  Americ"\n  Revolution.  lie  was  in  friendship 
and  correspondence  with  Washington,  Adams,  Franklin,  Howdoin,  and  other  distin- 
guished characters  of  that  period.  This  ia  the  raau  for  whom  when  a  lad  iu  College, 
Tutor  Flynt  paid  to  Abdy  a  "  9d." 


11 


"April  10th,  1727,  Abdy  washed  10  doz.  and   5  bottles  as  ho  says,  tlio'  wn 
he  brought  them  up  he  reckoned  but  9  doz  &  1  at  4d  pd  Down,    Total  3sh.  8d." 
"  April  27,  1730  Paid  Abdy  4sh  for  washing  a  groce  of  Bottles." 

These  dates  show  that  he  was  alive  and  attending  to  his  duties  when  these 
charges  were  made.  And  this  is  all  that  is  known  of  him  wlio  has  been  immortal- 
ized in  song.  As  his  Will  purports  to  be  dated  in  December  1730  he  probably 
died  soon  after  washing  the  last  "  groce  of  Bottles,"  thougli  there  is  no  evidence 
that  he  died  of  over-exertion  in  doing  it.(l) 

MRS.    ABDY    AND    HEtt    LOVKK. 

Soon  after  Father  Abdy  died  and  his  Will  was  published,  the  sweeper  and  bed- 
maker  at  Yale  College,  a  widower,  became  grievously  smitten  with  the  charniB 
of  the  widow.  As  there  is  no  evidence  that  he  had  ever  seen  her,  he  may  have 
been  a  i)hilosoplier  who  fell  in  love  with  an  abstract  idea  of  excellence  and  beauty, 
or  he  may  have  been  a  gentleman  of  a  romantic  turn  of  mind,  whose  imagination 
invested  her  with  the  charms  of  an  angel.  We  might  have  suspected  him  of 
having  an  eye  to  the  property  left  to  Mrs.  Abdy  by  her  spouse,  if  lie  did  not  ex- 
pressly disclaim  sucli  an  unwortliy  motive  and  foundation  foi  his  ardent  attach- 
ment. Be  this  as  it  may,  it  is  evident  from  the  tenderness  of  his  language  that 
he  was  in  great  anguish.  So  great  was  it,  that  he  was  inspired  to  pour  out  liis 
feelings  in  rhyme,  and  make  an  offer  of  his  iiand  and  heart.  In  some  mysterious 
way  a  copy  of  the  letter  was  procured.  It  must  have  been  done  without  the 
knowledge  of  Mrs.  Abdy,  we  are  confident,  for  it  was  entirely  inconsistent  with 
what  wc  may  suppose  to  be  her  refinement  and  delicacy,  to  tell  any  person  that 
she  had  received  a  letter  from  one  whose  heart  was  deeply  interested  in  her- 
A  copy  was  obtained  probably  in  a  surreptitious  manner.  It  was  shown  to  a 
few  very  particular  friends — a  matter  of  course.  It  was  admired.  It  was  found  to 
be  replete  with  genius  and  tender  feelings,  and  was  withal  so  natural  and  "  so 
simple",  that  it  was  necessary  to  print  it  in  order  to  satisfy  the  public — especially 
that  portion  of  the  public  which  consists  of  widowers  and  old  bachelors,  and 
of  some  ladies.  A  copy  was  despatched  to  England,  where  new  editions  of  it  ap- 
peared in  the  Gentleman's  Miigazine  in  June,  and  in  the  London  Magazine  in 
August,  1732.  It  was  reprinted  in  the  Massachusetts  Magazine,  in  November,  1794. 
As  the  copy  before  us  appears  to  be  the  original  edition  and  is  on  the  same  Broad- 
side with  Father  Abbey's  Will,  it  occurs  to  us — though  wc  run  the  risk  of  being 
charged  with  partiality  to  the  literature  of  Hsrvard  and  unjust  to  that  of  Yale — 
that  possibly  it  may  be  by  the  same  author. 

MRS.  ABDY'S  lovers  LETTER. 

We  print  the  letter,  and  the  introduction,  as  we  find  it  on  the  Broadside,  with 
the  difference  of  substituting  capitals  for  small  letters  at  the  beginning  of  sereral 
of  the  lines : — 


(1)  Hon.  James  Savage;  Collections  of  the  Mass.  Hist.  Society,  3d  series,  8;  267:  N. 
B.  Shurtletr,  M.D. :  Cambridge  ToAvn  Records:  Cambridge  Churcli  Records:  Rev.  L.  R. 
Paige,  the  "  painful"  city  clerk  of  Cambridge :  Diaries  of  Leverett  and  of  Flynt. 


"NcWhaven,  January  2.  l73l. 
"  Our  sweeper  having  lately  buried  his  spouse,  and  accidentally  hcariii}?  of  the 
death  and  will  of  his  deceased  Cambridge  brother,  has  conceived  a  violent  passion 
for  the  relict.  As  love  softens  the  mind  and  disposes  to  poetry,  ho  has  eas'd 
himself  in  the  following  strains,  which  he  transmits  to  the  charming  widow,  as  the 
first  essay  of  his  love  and  courtship. 

« ll/flSTRESS  Abbey 

Ifl  To  you  I  fly, 
You  only  can  relieve  me^ 

To  you  I  turn. 

For" you  I  burn, 
If  you  will  but  believe  me. 

Then,  gentle  dame, 

Admit'my  flame. 
And  fjrant  me  my  petition, 

If  you  deny, 

Alns !  1  die 
In  pitiful  condition. 

Before  the  news 

Of  your  dear  spouse 
Had  reached  us  at  Newhavon, 

Mv  dear  wife  dy'd, 

Wio  was  my  bride 
In  anno  eighty-seven. 

Thus  being  free, 

Let's  both  agree 
To  join  our  hands,  for  I  do 

Boldly  aver 

A  widower 
Is  fittest  for  a  widow. 

You  may  be  sure 

'Tis  not  your  dow'r 
I  make  this  flowing  verse  on  { 

In  these  smooth  lays 

1  only  praise 
The  glories  of  your  person. 

For  the  whole  that 

Was  left  by  Mat. 
Fortune  to  me  has  granted 

In  equal  store, 

I've  one  thing  more 
Which  Matthew  long  had  wanted. 

No  teeth  'tis  true 

You  have  to  shew, 
The  young  think  teeth  inviting} 

But,  silly  youths! 

I  love  those  mouths 
Where  there's  no  fear  of  biting. 

A  leaky  eye. 

That's  never  dry, 
"these  woful  times  is  fitting. 

A  wrinkled  face 

Adds  solemn  grace 
To  folks  devout  at  meeting. 


<r 


13 


[A  furrowed  brow, 

VVliere  corn  niiglit  prow, 
Such  fertile  soil  is  seen  in't, 

A  long  hook  nose, 

Tho'  scorn'd  by  foes. 
For  spectiicle3  couveuient.(l)] 

Thus  to  go  on 

I  would  put  down 
Your  charms  from  head  to  foot, 

Set  nil  your  glory 

In  verse  before  ye. 
But  I've  no  maid  to'do't. 

Then  haste  away. 

And  make  no  stay ; 
For  soon  as  you  come  hither, 

We'll  eat  and  sleep, 

Make  beds  and  sweep 
And  talk  and  smoke  together. 

But  if,  my  dear, 

I  must  move  there, 
Tow'rds  Cambridge  straight  I'll  set  mo 

To  touse  the  hay 

On  which  you  lay, 
If  age  and  you  will  let  me." 


r^ 


i 


MBS.  ABDY  S    SUBSEQUENT   LIFE. 

It  is  not  known  how  much  coquetting  and  cooing  and  wooing  and  sparking 
may  have  been  carried  on  between  the  widower  and  tlie  widow  ;  but  it  is  certain 
that  they  were  never  married.  Tho  disconsolate  widow  continued  to  live,  "  a 
single  life."  We  do  not  find  that  she  ever  deviated  in  the  least  from  the  strictest 
propriety  in  any  respect — unless  some  may  think  she  erred  in  not  preventing  tho 
publicity  given  to  the  poetical  epistle  of  the  afTictionate  widower.  There  is  no 
evidence  that  she  ever  laid  aside  her  weeds  of  mourning.  The  sun  rose  and 
set  each  day  as  usual.  Month  followed  month  and  year  followed  year  and  she — 
continued  to  sweep  and  to  make  beds.  After  Mr.  Abdy's  decease  she  never 
changed  her  name.  To  the  last  it  was  Ruth  Ahdi/.  Finally,  at  a  very  advanced  ago, 
she  passed  away.  The  college  rooms  no  longer  resounded  with  the  clatter  of  her 
feet  and  the  dump  of  her  pail.  The  spiders  had  nothing  to  fear  from  her  broom. 
So  far  as  she  was  concerned,  the  bugs  slept  quietly  in  their  beds,  except  when 
they  issued  forth  to  take  a  walk  or  in  quest  of  food.  With  her  the  family,  as 
is  tho  case  with  almost  all  illustrious  families  after  a  few  generations,  died  out. 
Even  the  name  of  Abdy  became  extinct  in  Cambridge. 

MRS.    abdy's  death. 

The  good  old  lady's  departure  was  announced  in  the  Boston  Evening  Post, 
Monday,  December  13,  1762,  in  these  words  : — 

"  Cambridge,  Dec.  10.  Yesterday  died  here  in  a  very  advanced  age  Mrs.  Abdy, 
Sweeper  for  very  many  years  at  Harvard  College,  and  well  known  to  all  that  have 


(1)  We  think  this  stanza  may  be  an  interpolation.    It  is  found  in  tho  London  Maga-- 
sine ;  but  not  in  the  Gentleman's  Magazine  or  on  the  Broadside. 


14 

.      ,  sv.-.,  iUn.  nrPQPnf   Tenturv.    She  was  Relict  of  Mattliew 

T  c!l  "  Chy  Records  say  that  Ruth  Ab.ly  died  at  Can^bridge,  10  Decern- 
,  i?o  at  he  aoc  of  93.  The  tradition  is  that  the  Ahdys  lived  on  the  spot 
iVr^  Mr  LyLn  Thurston  now  resides,  south  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Albro^s  meet.ng- 
where  ^  •  ^\";'^"  '' .  ^.^.  .  ^^^^.^  of  Mount  Auhum  and  Ilolyokc  Streets,  and 
'rt^rl:!!  s  n  1  sZu  Ite  in  front  of  Mr.  Thurston's  house  No 
™  umento  r  kind  marks  Mrs.  Abdy's  resting  place  or  that  of  her  hus  an  . 
Thorhboth  of  them  lived  in  humble  life  they  were  as  worthy  and  the.r  deeds 
r  acceptable  to  God  as  many  over  whom  have  been  reared  pUes  of  marble. 
Truly  does  the  fine  old  hymn  of  Herbert  say :       - 

"  Teach  me,  mv  God  and  King, 

In  all  thiiic;s  Thee  to  see, 
And,  what  I  do  in  any  tiling. 

To  do  it  as  for  Thee." 
*  *  *  * 

»  A  servant  with  this  clause, 

Makes  drudgery  divine; 
Wlio  sweeps  a  room,  as  for  Il.y  laws, 

lilukes  that,  and  the  action,  Inie. 


(1)  Communicated  by  Joseph  Talmcr,  M.  D., 


of  Boston. 


ih 


w 


